Have We Met?
by JMiranda56
Summary: What if Carter Blake had a daughter? A daughter who was in the CIA? This is the story of Melissa Blake, a CIA agent sent back to her hometown to aid the police in the investigation of the Origami Killer. She meets Norman Jayden, a FBI agent who was also sent to aid the police. Will a new love spark? If so, will Blake find out?
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! This is my first fan fiction I've made and I hope you enjoy it! I am really dedicated to my writing so, I hope I get enough good reviews to keep doing this. This is not for anything special, just for the sake of writing it! Anyways, quit reading this A/N and get to reading!

-Curly Fry

Melissa

The phone blasted in my ears as I opened my eyes after another restless sleep. I couldn't sleep since the killings started again.

"Great, another wake-up call from dad. Just what I need," I thought, sitting up on the bed.

It was an early Tuesday morning. My father, Lieutenant Blake, was already at the scene of the crime. A boy name Jeremy Bowles was found in the middle of a wasteland, just near a railroad line. This was typical in the fall. The Origami Killer was thinking about which little boy he could drown next. He's been doing this every fall since 2009. The time it always rained and never stopped, and when it did, it wasn't even for a full day.

"I should probably get ready to go," I mumbled as she walked to her closet.

I threw on a black cardigan with a brown motorcycle jacket. She also wore jeans and black and white Nike's. Sure, it wasn't the best choice, but I was in a rush. I grabbed my phone and key and walked all the way to the crime scene, in the pouring rain.

Norman

I drove up to the place where the secretary told me he'd be. As I parked the car, I noticed my hands started to tremble. I picked up the blue vial and stuffed into my coat pocket hesitantly.

"I don't need it. Not now," I thought, as I opened the car door and went into the pouring rain.

I hated the rain, no matter what the circumstances. I had to meet some guy named Carter Blake. As I got closer to the crime scene, I could see a young woman enter, too.

"Who the hell is she?" I thought to myself, as I got closer.

She walked all the way over to the guy I was supposed to meet, Carter Blake. She hugged him and started talking to him.

"This zone is sectioned off, sir. Please step back," the officer guarding the scene said.

"Agent Norman Jayden, FBI."

"You got badge or something Mr. Jayden?"

"Yeah… Yeah, of course."

I pulled out my badge from my pocket and showed it to him. He squinted at it to see the writing.

"Check, you can pass."

I went under the tape and just before I entered, I asked the cop a question I already knew the answer to.

"I'm looking for Lieutenant Blake. Is he around?"

"I saw him arrive earlier. He should be somewhere."

"Thanks."

I walked into the crime scene, but not before putting on my ARI. This thing helped me analyze evidence and look at clues. Without this thing, I'd be lost. I walked over to Lieutenant Blake and sure enough, that girl was still there. I walked up to them and interrupted their conversation.

"Lieutenant Blake? I'm Norman Jayden from the FBI. I went by your office this morning. They told me you'd be here."

Melissa

I looked up at the man who interrupted our conversation. He was a pretty young man, I'd say early thirties. He was wearing a jacket with a pretty expensive suit underneath. He had broad shoulders, light green eyes, and the pinkest lips I have ever seen. He had black hair and pale skin. He had a strong Boston accent, which I thought was cute. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Our eyes locked for a moment and he nodded in my direction. He directed his attention back to Blake.

"Now if you're looking for rain, dead bodies, and highways, you've come to the right place. Mike, will you tell that asshole with the bulldozer to stop for five minutes; I can't hear myself think here." Blake said.

"Right away, lieutenant." Mike said, walking off.

I walked up to Norman, arm extended.

"I'm Melissa Blake."

He shook my hand with a firm grip.

"I'm Norman Jayden. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too."

Our hands finally let go of each other and my dad started walking away. He turned back when he realized we weren't following him.

"Well, are you two coming?"

We started to follow him, while Norman asked questions about the body.

"So, what happened?"

"Some guy taking his dog for a piss found the body about six o' clock this morning. We don't know much more right now. Based on what we've seen, it looks like the work of the Origami Killer"

A shudder went through me as I heard the name. I'm not afraid of him; it's just what he does that scares me. The way he harms children like that, it sickens me.

"Any witnesses?" Norman asked, trailing close behind.

"None yet. Given the neighborhood, I'd be surprised if anybody saw anything…. Any news on the coroner?"

We were standing in front of another police officer.

"He's on his way, lieutenant."

"We've been waiting for an hour, for fuck's sake!"

I leaned up towards Norman and whispered, "Yes, he's like this all the time, so you better get used to it."

He looked down at me with a smile on his face and kept following Blake.

"There are a lot of people on the crime scene… Aren't you afraid your men might destroy some clues?"

My dad stopped in his tracks and gave a sideways glance to him.

"You don't find proof sitting behind a desk… and we're not in the habit of trampling things into the ground, even if we're not in the FBI."

I was completely shocked. I understand Norman's concern, but my dad didn't have to say that like it was an insult.

"No! No, of course not, that's not what I meant."

"Yeah, dad, he didn't mean it that way."

He looked at me, kind of shocked I would defend him. We kept walking like that question was never asked.

"Do we know the cause of death?"

"There are no marks on the body. Chances are he was drowned, like the others. Listen, I'm a little busy here. Why don't we discuss this later, back at the office?"

"No problem, I understand…. Do you mind if I take a look around?"

"Be my guest. Hey, Jayden, you come and see me if you find anything, ok? We're on the same team now."

He pretended to point a gun at him and shoot it, and then he walked away.

"I'll see you later, Norman." I said, smiling.

"Later."

I turned around and started to leave.

"Wait!"

I heard Norman's voice and turned back around.

"Yes?"

"Is that asshole your dad?"He pointed in his direction.

"Sadly, yes." I smiled and laughed.

That was the first time I laughed in a while.


	2. Chapter 2

Melissa

As I walked away from Norman, I noticed my dad motioning me to come towards him. This was never good. The only time he wanted to have a very serious talk with me at this age was when he had a problem with something. I walked towards him and stood in front of him.

"What?" I asked, impatient.

"Do you like Jayden?"

"What makes you say th-?"

"Do you like Jayden?"

I looked back at Norman, who was analyzing evidence with his ARI. I knew what that because I used to be in the FBI. I was one of the very few who got to test it. I wish I wasn't. That device makes you dizzy, makes your hands tremble, and threatens your life. The only way to cure those headaches is a drug called triptocaine. Tripto for short. But, that was just as bad as ARI. That stuff was addicting, I heard. Some person died from taking too much of it. I'm glad I wasn't one of those people. I was just hoping and praying that Norman wasn't one of those people. One of those people that got hooked on it, and never stopped. I closed my eyes.

"No, I don't" I said, exhausted.

There was a pause. All I could hear was the pouring rain. Blake broke the silence.

"Alright, I just wanted to know. I can see when you aren't telling me the truth, sweetie. I hope you're telling me now."

He walked away from me, patting me on the back. I opened my eyes and saw that Norman was gone. Where he was, I had no idea. I guess I would see him later. I just stood there, motionless.

Norman

I was on the top of a hill trying to find any clues. I saw with my ARI that there was footprints and tire tracks. I analyzed the footprints and noticed they were the same footprints by the fence. I analyzed the tire tracks and was able to save them. I walked back down the hill to the bottom and realized I had no more clues to search for. I had already looked at the body and got the same things that all of the bodies have. I walked out of the wasteland and saw Melissa walking out, too. I walked up next to her and I think I scared her a little bit.

"You're leaving?" I asked.

"Yeah, there wasn't a lot to see, what with Blake's men trampling all of the evidence."

"Exactly! That's what I wanted to say, but I was afraid he was going to pound my face in."

She smiled and laughed. For some reason, I loved the way she laughed.

"So, do you work for the police or are you in an agency?" I asked, curiously.

"I'm in the CIA."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I joined it-"

She took a deep breath and let it out, like it was difficult to say it.

"I joined it whenever my mother died."

Melissa

Mentioning my mom was like a stab to the heart. She had died in a car accident three years ago. I still hadn't gotten over it, neither had my dad. I had just got out of the CIA Training Facility. It was the first thing I heard about when I got out. Not the best thing to hear. It still hurts when I mention her, but I don't cry.

"I'm so sorry." Norman said, snapping me out of my train of thought.

"No, it's ok, really. You didn't know. Well, I gotta go. I'll see you later, right?"

"Yeah, I'll see you later."

I still couldn't get over how he didn't notice that he still had his ARI on. Whenever he was out of my point of view, I started cracking up. I don't know why I thought that was funny, I just did. I then noticed that I heard footsteps. I was in an alleyway, which kinda freaked me out. I stopped laughing and backed out of the alleyway. I couldn't see anyone, but then I noticed why. The footsteps were coming from behind me. I turned around to fight, but the figure was quicker than me. The figure pinned me against the wall and started kneeing me in the stomach. I punched them in the face and they let go of me. I ran away, but it caught up to me and grabbed me from the collar. It dragged me back and pinned me against the wall again.

"I know what you're trying to do, and I'm not gonna let it happen. You will never find me-"

He was cut off by Norman punching him in the head. The figure let go of me and backed up. He ran out of the alleyway, like he was scared. I fell to the ground, clutching my abdomen. I saw Norman run up to me and kneel beside me.

"Are you alright?" he asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

But I really wasn't. Whoever that guy was, he was really strong. He hit me about six times in the stomach and it felt like a billion knives had stabbed me. I tried to stand up, but I just feel back down to the ground. Norman caught me and helped me up.

"I should take you to the hospital." he said, holding me by his side.

He helped me walk to his car and laid me down in the backseat. Even that hurt as much as walking. I groaned in pain and clutched my stomach. Norman hopped in the driver's seat and started the car. He drove away, towards the hospital.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! This chapter goes into a little more logical sense between Norman and Melissa's trust, so I'd expect something good. This chapter also has a little bit of a reference that I will use later on, so I would keep this chapter on hold. Hope you enjoy it!**

Melissa

As we were nearing the hospital, I felt the pain worsen inside of me. I almost felt like crying. I felt Norman stop the car and open the door. He draped my arm over his shoulder and carried me in. The doors slid open and he helped me in.

"This really hurts," I groaned, clutching my stomach.

"It's okay, we're almost there," he said, concern in his voice.

We reached the hospital receptionist and she told us to wait and that a doctor would be out ASAP. We sat down in two empty seats. Since it was the early morning, there weren't really any people there, and if there were, they were visitors.

"How did you find me?" I asked, in pain but curious.

He looked away from me and closed his eyes.

"I heard a voice in the alleyway and some squirming and I went to check it out. Next thing I knew, I saw you pinned against the wall. I had to save you."

"Thank you, for saving me."

He looked at me with concern in his eyes. I couldn't notice at the time, but he seemed almost too fragile in that one moment, as if he had never seen anything like it before. I mean, he was an FBI agent. He should be used to these things. But, I guessed he had a fragile side. Everyone did, even my dad.

"You're welcome," he said with a smile.

I saw the doctor walking towards us and tried to stand up, but my body was seared with pain and I sat back down.

"I think I already know what the problem is. Come with me," He gestured to both of us.

Norman helped me up and helped me walk. My stomach still hurt, but it wasn't nearly as much as it was a couple minutes ago. The doctor directed us to a room and had me lay down on a table. He made me lift up my shirt while he asked some questions.

"How did this happen?" he asked.

"Some guy attacked me in an alleyway and hit me in the stomach a couple of times."

I bent forward just to see how bad my stomach looked. There were some bruises here and there, but nothing serious.

"Now, I'm gonna apply some pressure on your stomach. You let me know if it hurts, ok?"

I nodded yes and he started applying pressure all over my stomach. It started to hurt the most whenever he got to the center of it. I groaned in pain whenever he applied pressure. He lifted his hand and faced me.

"Well, I can already tell there aren't any broken bones. He didn't hit you anywhere near them. You just have some bruises, that's all. I suggest you take some painkillers, try to rest whenever you can, and you'll be fine," He smiled at me and shook Norman's hand as he walked out.

"You got a good woman on your hands, son," the doctor said, lowering his voice.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"All in good time."

He walked out of the room, as I tried to sit up. It didn't hurt, but it had a slight stinging. I got off of the table and tried to walk. Norman was by my side, ready to catch me if I fell. I started to put one foot in front of the other and staggered a little bit. But, I could walk in a straight line after a couple of tries. We walked out of the hospital and I realized something: My dad had no idea where I was.

"Oh, crap, I better call my dad. Tell him what happened."

I reached for my phone and dialed his number. I put the phone to my ear and heard his voice.

"Melissa?"

"Hey, dad."

"Where are you?"

I looked at Norman and he gave me a curious glance.

"At the hospital."

"What?! Why?! What happened?" His voice roared in my ears.

"I got mugged in an alleyway, I'm fine."

"How did you get there?"

"Norman drove me here." I didn't want to tell him about him saving me

"Alright, at least you're ok."

"I'll see you later, alright?"

"Alright. I love you."

"Love you too, dad. Bye."

I hung up the phone and walked up to Norman.

"What did the doctor say to you before he left?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"He just told me your condition."

"Really?"

"Yeah, basically."

I knew he was lying, but I didn't want to point it out. Did he not trust me? I didn't even know why I was making such a big deal of it at the time. He didn't trust me yet; he had no meaning to. I mean, we were complete strangers. But, then again, I told him about my own mother. That was the only personal thing he knew about me. He didn't know about my involvement with the FBI and ARI, and he wasn't going to, not until I trusted him enough, which would probably be never. We got into his car and he drove off. I looked out the window the whole ride, until I decided to ask him something.

"You're in the FBI, right?"

He gave me a sideways glance and focused back on the road.

"Yeah, why?"

"That means you have an ARI."

He tensed up as he heard the name. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

"How do you know about that?"

"I-I used to be in the FBI."

Norman

No. That was the only word I could think of. Did she use it before? Did she use both of those things before? I calmed down before I started talking.

"You used to use ARI?"

"Um, yeah. I was one of the first people to try it out."

Oh, great. My worst fears had come true. I didn't know that a girl as young as her would be involved in this stuff.

"Were you involved in…..in-" I couldn't finish my sentence. I didn't even want to say it.

"Tripto? No. I only used ARI once. I was going to use it for investigations, but then I found out about some guy whose eyes started to bleed form using it too much. I never used it again."

I let out a breath I had been holding in. Thank God she didn't use it. I knew what the effects of that drug were, and I was guessing she did, too. But, I didn't know what effect it would have on such a young person like her. And I didn't want to know, ever.


	4. Chapter 4

Melissa

"Did you do it?" I asked, curiously.

"What?"

"Did you do tripto?"

He kept focusing on the road and took a deep breath. I gasped and put my hand over my heart.

"Oh, Jayden, no." I was in awe.

He closed his eyes for a split second and nodded.

"Yes, I did."

I was still in disbelief. I couldn't, wouldn't believe something like that. He was a drug addict. He was addicted to tripto.

"But, why? Why would you do something like that? You know what it can do to you! It can kill you!"

"It's the only thing that keeps me from passing out. If I stop using it, it won't make my life any better. I can't survive without it, yet it brings me closer and closer to death every time I take it. I know this every time."

"But you can try. You can try, you just don't think you can because it's the only thing that keeps your job. I get that the government made it, but just because they say it's safe, doesn't always mean it is. They put their whole agency at risk because they even thought of ARI in the first place!" I exclaimed, shifting my whole body towards him.

He didn't say anything, just kept focusing on the road that didn't mean anything to our conversation right now.

"You're right."

"What?"

"I said you're right. I am afraid of what will happen if I stop taking it. I try, so hard to stop, but it's too addictive. The government did make it, and they know it's not safe. They just want agents not to worry about the side effects of ARI."

I realized that he was telling the truth. I was glad he trusted me with his problems. There was something in his voice that almost seemed apologetic. I rested my hand on his shoulder.

"Promise me something, ok?"

He looked towards my way real quick.

"What?"

"Promise me you'll try to stop taking tripto. I know it sounds like a difficult task for you, but maybe its not as hard as it sounds. I get that it's addictive but, you can at least try to stop. Please?"

He stopped in front of the police station. I hadn't even noticed that we were there until he looked at me with a smile on his face.

"Alright. I'll try my best."

I smiled the biggest smile I thought was possible and kissed him on the cheek. I noticed that he had a cut or a scar or something where I had kissed him. I grazed it with my thumb and asked, "How did you get this?"

"What?"

"This cut on your cheek. How did you get it?" I asked, my thumb still grazing it.

"Oh, I was in a fight and this guy pulls out a knife. He throws it at me, I dodge it, and the point of it just grazes by my cheek."

I nodded and moved away from him.

"Thank you, so much," I said, opening the door and moving out.

I shut the door and walked into the police station, biting my lip and smiling. I walked near my dads' desk and walked up behind him. Ash was sitting across from him and saw me. I shushed him and he smiled and went back to work. I crept up behind my dad and said, "Boo!"

He jumped up and turned around. He saw me and said, "Don't do that to me, young lady!"

I laughed and hugged him. I was so happy, it was impossible to describe how happy I was.

"You're in a good mood. Did something happen?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, by the way, Captain Perry wants to see you in his office."

"About what?"

He shrugged his shoulders and put his hand on my back.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it doesn't seem good," he said, concerned.

I walked away from my dad and walked towards Captain Perrys' office. I had no idea what he would want from me, but I could already tell this wasn't going to be a good conversation. I opened the door to his office and stepped in. He had his feet on his desk, but wisked them off of it whenever I walked into the door. He stood up and extended a hand. I noticed that his necktie wasn't in a knot.

"Melissa Blake, nice to see you again," He smiled as I shook his hand firmly.

"Nice to see you, too, Captain Perry."

"Please sit. We have something to discuss."

I took a seat in front of his desk before he also took a seat and set his feet back on top of his desk.

"I brought you here for a reason, Ms. Blake, and I expect that reason to be enforced. You are here for one reason and one reason only: To aid the police in the Origami Killer case. Now, I understand that you have been employed in a higher ranking since you have left us, but don't think of that as you being able to do whatever, whenever. No matter what, you are still a member of the police and we all follow a set of rules that you are familiar with. I expect those rules to be followed by you. Understood?"

That was it? That was what he wanted to talk to me about? Just that I have to enforce the rules?

"Of course, Captain Perry," I nodded in understandment, although he was treating me like I was the dunce.

"Good, now would you please follow me." He gestured towards the door as he was lifted from his chair and walked towards the door. I followed and exited the office. I followed Captain Perry to his secretary, Charlene's desk.

"I'm off, Charlene. I'll look at the reports later. Cancel all appointments for this afternoon," he said, in a rush.

"Ok. Oh…Captain! Agent Norman Jayden from the FBI is here," Charlene said with a smile.

"What?" I exclaimed, turning around.

I noticed that Jayden was behind me and rose my eyebrows. Captain Perry also turned around. Jayden acknowledged him with a head nod. Perry walked up to him and shook his hand.

"Jayden, of course. We've been expecting you… I'm in a bit of a hurry. You mind tagging along? We can talk as we walk."

"Yeah, of course," he said, making a quick glance towards me possible. I grinned at him happily. We started walking towards the press conference, while Perry and Jayden had a little conversation.

"I wanted to introduce myself before getting started but,…. perhaps there's a better time?"

Perry interrupted him, while fidgetting with his necktie.

"No, no-now is fine. I just got to get to the press conference," we stopped in front of some file cabinents. "Have you met Lieutenant Blake yet?" he asked, still fidgeting with his tie.

"Yeah, we met this morning."

That left me thinking. What time was it? I stared down at my wristwatch and was in awe when it said it was 7:55.

"7:55?! How is that possible?!" I thought, thinking how impossible it was.

"Do you know how to tie a knot in a necktie?" I heard Perry ask.

I must have skipped a whole segment of the conversation because Jayden had a disagreeing look in his eyes. Was he serious? He didn't know how to tie a tie? He was a grown man, for God's sake.

"You're serious? Even I know how to tie a tie!" I said in disbelief.

They both looked at me with funny expressions on their faces; Jayden's being the more obvious. He smiled at me and laughed a little bit.

"I guess," Jayden said, facing Perry.

He grabbed both ends of the tie and started to make a knot. They started talking again and I was just in awe.

"To be frank with you, I could've done without the FBI and the CIA on this one," he nodded his head towards me. "But, the press are all over us. The Origami Killer case crept up on us and it's becoming a national concern. There are hundreds of killers in this country, but whadda you know, this guy is….."

"Exotic?" I added, completing his sentence.

"Yeah, that's a good word." he said, pointing a finger at me. "He leaves flowers and origami figures. Work that one out. Then the press get on to it, and we suddenly become the center of the universe."

Jayden sneaked a quick glance at me and went back to tying his knot.

"We're here to arrest a serial killer. With all due respect sir, the rest of it, it's none of our business," he said, finishing the knot and putting his hands in his pockets.

I looked towards Jayden who gave me a sideways glance.

"No, of course not… All I'm asking is that you two make progress- and fast. The press want a perpetrator and we're gonna have to serve him up on a silver platter," He adjusted his tie. "Not bad." he said, walking towards the press conference. He turned around and said, "Oh, go see Charlene, she'll show you to your office, Jayden. Check in on the press conference if you're interested," He gestured towards the conference. "It'll give you an idea of the political climate around here."

"Thank you, sir." Jayden said, unsure if that's what he meant.

"Welcome to the club, Jayden." Perry said as he turned around and walked away.

"Can we drop our membership now?" I whispered to Jayden. He chuckled under his breath and smiled.

"Where did you learn to tie a tie?" he asked, facing me with his arms crossed.

"I went to a lot of fancy parties and my dad always had trouble tying his tie, so, may as well learn from experience." I smiled.

"Anyways, I just want to thank you." he whispered, unfolding his arms.

"For what?"

"For making me see that it's possible for me to quit."

He smiled at me and walked past me to Charlene. I looked back at him, and so did he. I smiled at him and he returned the favor.


	5. Chapter 5

Melissa

I walked towards my dad's desk and saw that Ash was talking to another man who was sitting near his desk. He was wearing a light brown jacket and jeans. He had black hair and a beard. He had blue eyes by the look of it. I walked closer to them to get a better view.

"….we'll ask you some more questions in a little while, Mr. Mars." Ash said to Mr. Mars.

I was finally standing next to him and got a good view of the man. He had an expressionless look on his face. Ash walked away from him and I followed.

"Hey, who is that man?" I asked, curiously.

"That's Ethan Mars. He reported that his son had gone missing a couple of minutes ago. He probably just ran off somewhere."

"Did you get to ask him anything?"

"No, not yet. I leave all the interrogating to your dad." he smiled my way and walked back to the desk with a file in his hand. My dad walked up to me as Ash left.

"You know, you should really leave the light cases to me. Besides, you got other things to worry about."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"I would worry about trying to not to get Jayden under my skin. He really pisses me off."

"He's not that bad once you get to know him."

"Well, I don't want to get to know him. He's a little bureaucrat who thinks he can do a better job than me."

"No, he isn't."

"Yes, he is. You'll see sooner or later." He walked away from me, like the conversation never happened.

At that moment, I saw Jayden walking towards the bathroom. He was holding his wrist, as if he couldn't control it. Oh, no. He was having an outbreak here, out of all places, in a police station. I wanted to help him, but I didn't. He needed to try to do this on his own. I looked away from him and focused on Ethan Mars. He had this radiation that made me want to cry. He just seemed so unhappy, like something terribly tragic had happened before the Origami Killer. Then, it hit me. What if his son was kidnapped by the Origami Killer? He probably just ran off and would be back, but it was still a possibility. No one could ignore it. Not even my dad. I walked towards them and listened to their conversation.

"It was this afternoon, I was at the park with my son, Shaun. We played together for a while and then he wanted to go on the carousel, so I put him on one of the horses, and when I turned back, Shaun had disappeared." Ethan said, messing with his fingers.

"Exactly what time did you arrive in the park, Mr. Mars? Try to remember exactly. Every detail can be important." my dad said.

"It must have been about 4:15. Yeah, that's it, 4:15."

I noticed Jayden passing by behind me. I didn't want to ask him about his little episode, but I needed to know if he was okay. He stood next to me as he listened to the interrogation.

"Are you alright?" I whispered.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just had an outbreak."

"Well, make sure you can control them. And, a little heads up, my dad thinks you're an asshole." I smiled at the last sentence.

"How could Shaun have disappeared without you even noticing? Weren't you right by the carousel?" my dad asked, confused.

"I can't remember exactly... It all happened so fast."

Liar. I could tell by his face and the way he spoke. He spoke as if he were hiding something, something even the police would never understand.

"You say you took your son to the park after school. But, you didn't report him missing until 8:15. What took you so long to contact the police?" Ash asked, a bit of accusation in his voice.

I looked towards Ethan and saw he was looking right at me.

"I searched the whole neighborhood for him. I thought he couldn't have gone far." he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Did Shaun have any particular difficulties, Mr. Mars? Anything that might have caused him to run away?" Jayden asked, pacing along the side of the desks with his hand to his chin.

Ethan hesitated before answering.

"Shaun is a sensitive child. Our relationship has been a little difficult recently."

"Everything okay at school? Any particular problems between you and your wife?" I asked, putting my hands in my pockets.

Ethan bowed his head as in shame.

"My wife and I have been separated for the past six months. But Shaun would not have gone off without telling his mother or me" he said, looking towards Ash.

"Alright, that's all the questions we have for now. You're free to go, Mr. Mars. We'll continue to look for Shaun overnight, and contact you if we find anything." my dad said, walking away from him.

Ethan stood up, but hesitated to ask what I already knew was a possibility.

"Do... do you think the Origami Killer?"

Blake turned back around to answer.

"Listen, Shaun has probably run off and will show up in a couple of hours." he said, walking away.

"But what if it is the Origami Killer?" Ethan said, persistently.

"Well, then we have about five days to find him alive." Blake finally walked away, which left me shaking my head.

I walked up to Mr. Mars, trying to reassure him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Mars. We'll find your son and bring him back to you safely." I walked away from him towards Blake. When i was sure I was out of Ethan's sight, I started rushing towards Blake. I finally caught up to him and exclaimed, "What the hell was that?"

He kept his back to me. "What the hell was what?"

"You basically just told him that his son was kidnapped by the Origami Killer! Do you know how heartbroken he is now?!" I whispered in an angry tone.

"I'm brutally honest." he said, finally facing me.

"That doesn't mean you have to go telling people that their son just got abducted!" I exclaimed, gesturing towards Ethan. He was talking to his wife who was sitting on a seat, crying.

"Fine, do whatever you want. Just don't try to ruin their lives anymore than it looks." I said, gesturing towards them again.

I walked out of the station, just when my phone started to ring. It was my friend, Jessica. I answered.

"Hey, Jess."

"Hey, Mel. Listen, you need to come home now. I gotta go soon."

"Alright, fine. I know that you need to go on that date. I'll be back in a couple of minutes, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you later."

I hung up the phone and realized something: I didn't even have a ride and my house was ten miles away. I knew my dad wouldn't drive me because he had to work late. I didn't have my car with me. There was only one person I could ask. I walked back into the station, looking for Jayden. I finally caught him just about to go into the press conference that apparently, was still going on. The press would stay for as long as they wanted if it meant getting some information on the Origami Killer. I walked towards him.

"Listen, I need another favor." I said, crossing my arms.

"What's that?"

"I just realized that I don't have a ride home. I walked to the scene from my house, you drove me to the hospital and back here. And I'm pretty sure you've had some time to go over the evidence that you recovered. I think you already know what I'm asking for." I said, smiling.

He smiled, too. He stared off into space, thinking.

"Alright, I'll take you home. But you're gonna be the one who explains this to your dad."

"Fine. Besides, you wouldn't be able to explain and you're a FBI agent." I smiled, walking away from him.

"But, you're the CIA agent. You shouldn't have any trouble explaining this to him."

"Oh, yeah, because this is normal, 'Hey dad, some stranger that I haven't even met for a full day is driving me home, don't worry about it.'" I threw my hands in the air and laughed. "Speaking of which, how are you taking the Origami Killer case? Found anything yet?"

We were walking towards his car.

"I did figure out what kind of car he drives. A Chevrolet Malibu '83. Pretty old, by the sounds of it. But, at least it's something."

"Yeah, we've been chasing this guy for two years and we haven't found anything. Whoever this guy is, he's very good at what he does. He leaves a crime scene with almost no clues as to where he is or who he is. He's very strategic and meticulous."

"Those are the two words that describe him best."

"But, here's another thing I noticed. He kills all of his victims the same way. Most serial killers would stab someone with a knife, and the next time, they would try to poison them with a drink. Not with this guy. He does it the same way, every time."

"And it's always the same ritual. Origami in the hand, and an orchid on the chest. And it's always boys. He kills only in the fall. Dumps them on a wasteland. It must mean something if he keeps doing it the same way. If he does it just for fun, that's gonna be a shocker."

We were so deep in conversation that I didn't see we were at his car. I got in the passenger seat, when my phone started to ring. It was Jessica, again. She gets anxious easily and always has to be talking to someone. I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mel. Listen, when are you gonna be home? I really need to get ready for that date."

"I'll be there in a second."

There was a pause.

"Are you at some guys house?"

"Wha?! No! Why would you think that?"

"No reason." I could see her smiling into the phone.

I hung up, smiling.

"What was that about?" Jayden said, looking towards me.

"Oh, nothing. Just my friend, Jesse. She's crazy." I smiled, putting my phone back in my pocket.

He looked at me, nodded his head, and started the car.


	6. Chapter 6

Norman

She showed me the directions to her house, as I drove. We talked about the Origami Killer and the case. There was something about her that made me want to keep talking to her. She never wanted to quit talking, in a good way. We finally made it to her house. It rested on a hilltop and was pretty big. It had lights all over the place and a patio. I just stared at in awe.

"You'd be surprised how much a CIA agent makes," she said, opening the car door.

I stepped out and stood by the car for a second, stunned. I would have never taken her for a fancy type. Then again, I don't think anyone would. She looked back at me in the pouring rain, her smile radiant.

"You coming?" she asked, gesturing towards her.

"You're totally fine with a stranger coming into your house?"

"We aren't strangers. Your name is Norman Jayden, you're in the FBI, you're addicted to drugs, you were born in Boston, am I missing anything?"

"What makes you think I was born in Boston?"

She looked at me like I was stupid.

"The way you pronounce your name. It's kinda obvious. Listen, are you coming or are you gonna stay out here in the pouring rain?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really, no," She smiled and walked up to me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. She pulled out her key to unlock the door and unlocked it.

"I told you you didn't have a choice," she said as we walked inside.

I smiled and looked around her house. It had pretty high ceilings and a living room. There was a couch facing a lit fireplace with a TV hung above it. There was a kitchen next to it, separated by a bar and a door. There was a staircase with a next level balcony. Melissa looked at me and smiled at my face. I was once again in awe.

"You really would be surprised at how much I make," she said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I heard footsteps from upstairs and looked up. I saw a woman leaning on the balcony with a blue dress that went to her mid-thigh.

"Thank god you're here. Michael is upstairs," she said coming down the stairs.

She was standing in front of us now and I could see her better. She had brown hair with brown eyes. She had curves and a ton of makeup on. She looked at me and smiled.

"Who is this?" she said, gesturing towards me.

"Oh, Jessica, this is Norman Jayden. He was assigned by the FBI to aid the police in the Origami Killer case. Norman, this is my friend Jessica, " Melissa said, gesturing towards me.

"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand.

"He's cute," Jessica whispered to Melissa, smiling

"Jessica!" she exclaimed, raising her eyebrows.

"I can't lie," she said, smiling. "Well, Norman, it was nice to meet you, but I gotta run. I'll see you later, Mel."

"Later!"

Jessica opened the door and left. I looked back at Melissa and realized something Jessica said. Who was Michael?

"Can you just stay here for a second? I need to go check up on something."

"Sure."

She rushed upstairs and vanished. I looked around her living room. I saw a table near the couch with pictures. I observed the pictures. Most of them were with her and her dad or Jessica, but there was one picture that caught my attention. She was holding a baby in her arms and smiling at the camera. Could this be her baby? I heard her coming down the stairs before I could finish that thought. She was holding a baby in her arms. Yep, this was definitely her baby. This was Michael. She walked up to me and smiled at the baby.

"This is my baby, Michael." she said, smiling at him.

The way she looked at him, it was loving, almost forgiving. She smiled at me and I smiled back. Michael looked at me and smiled. He couldn't have been more than a year old. He had blond hair and blue eyes. Just like his mom. But, who was his father? I didn't want to ask her. Maybe she had a reason for not telling me.

"He looks just like you," I said, smiling.

She looked at me, serious. Her phone rang and she got it out of her back pocket. She looked at the caller id and widened her eyes. She laid Michael down on the couch, took the phone away from her ear, and whispered, "Can you watch him for me real quick?"

I nodded yes and she went off into the kitchen. I went over by the couch to see Michael. It was ridiculous how much he looked like his mother. He had her eyes, her hair, her smile. He saw me and just looked at me. I could only think that he probably had never seen his dad before. I felt my eyes start to well up. He was just like me, in a way. I never knew my father, either. At least we had something in common. He smiled at me. That's when I felt it. That tear dripping down my cheek. I didn't want to wipe it away. He looked at me with a questioning look. I felt another tear come down my cheek; I didn't wipe that away either. He beckoned for me to pick him up. I didn't want to touch someone else's baby. I mean, come on, who does that? But, the kid was calling for me. And he wouldn't stop. I reached my hands out to pick him up and got him in my arms. Tears were still coming down my cheeks, but I didn't even touch them. Then, he said it. The words I never got to say in my life.

"Dada."

I let it all out. I just sat there, a baby in my arms, crying my eyes out. He said it. I never got to say those words, ever. I couldn't believe I was attached to this baby.

"No, no, I'm not your daddy," I said, straining through tears.

He frowned at me, reached out his little hand, and I took it. He smiled and drifted off to sleep. I laid him back down on the couch and put my head in my hands. No one had ever called me "dada" before. Nobody. I felt the tears keep coming. I took a deep breath and sat up. I heard Melissa coming out and quickly wiped away my tears. She exited the kitchen and smiled at the sight of her little baby boy sleeping. She picked him up and took him upstairs with her. As soon as she left, I felt the tears coming back. I knew by the time I left here, I would never see that kid again. She came back and put her finger to her lips. I smiled as she sat next to me on the couch. I knew I had to tell her. Sooner or later. I took a deep breath and said,"Can I tell you something?"

She looked at me and said, "Sure."

I took another breath, quivering. I didn't know how to say this.

"I never knew my father. He left before I was even born. My mom always told me what he looked like, how he acted, how he never felt he was ready to have a child. He thought," I felt the tears coming back, but that didn't stop me. "He thought that it would be better if he just left, so that he wouldn't be able to say he failed raising a child. 'It was his choice,' my mom used to say."

She looked at me, awestruck. She didn't look like it, but you could see it. She started to tear up. She put a hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

I put my hand over hers.

"It's okay, really."

She moved her hand to my cheek. I looked over at her and saw she had a tear grazing down her cheek. She glided her thumb under my eyelid, wiping away the tears. I thought I saw her get closer, but I thought that was my imagination. But it wasn't until I realized she kissed my other cheek. She looked back at me, tear marks on her cheeks. I wanted to kiss her, so badly. I don't know what stopped me, I just couldn't do it. She backed up and took my hand. She gave me a sad smile. I stood up and wiped away my other tears.

"I should probably go." I said, looking towards the door.

"Yeah, you should. It's getting late."

"I'll see you later, ok?"

"Yeah, later."

I walked towards the door and opened it. I looked back at her and waved. She waved back as I walked out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Norman

As I closed the door behind me, I heard a car park in front of the house. I turned around to see Blake getting out of his car and looking at me. He had his eyebrows raised and a stunned look on his face that quickly turned to anger. He walked up to me and got in my face.

"What are you doing here?" he said, roughly.

"I drove Melissa home." I tried to take a step back, but all that was behind me was the door.

He grabbed me by the collar and lowered his voice.

"You better listen, and you better listen good. Just because my daughter likes you, doesn't mean you have to like her back. She tells me she doesn't like you, but I know she does." He shoved me as he let go of my collar. "Stay away from my daughter, or you'll regret it."

He walked away from me back to his car. As soon as his car got out of my line of sight, reality came and hit me in the face. I was falling in love with Melissa Blake.

Melissa

As soon as Norman left, I heard my phone ring. I got up to find it in the kitchen. I looked at the caller id, which was unknown. I was curious about who was calling me at midnight, so I answered it, almost hesitantly.

"Hello?"

"Melissa?"

I couldn't find the words to speak. It was my ex husband, Jake. He left before Michael was even born. We had arguments, which led to few bruises here and there. There were no exceptions when I became pregnant. He didn't mean it, but he just kept hurting me and Michael. He couldn't stop it, no one could. No one except my dad, at least. He found out and told him to leave me alone and to never come back. I was very cautious about who to trust after that.

"Jake, what do you want?"

"I….I…..I just want us to be a family again. I can make you and Michael happy. It'll be just like old times. I can make you happy, Mel."

I could not believe he was asking me this. After what he did to me and Michael, it was unforgivable. I never wanted it to be like old times, ever again. I never wanted Michael to experience that environment. All of that think thinking snapped me out of it when Jake spoke again.

"Mel, are you there?"

"Don't call me that. You expect me to go back to you? After what you did, physically and mentally, to me and Michael? How dare you think that! Things can never be the same between you and me, Jake. Not after what you did. It was all your fault, not mine. _You _were the one who started the fights. _You _were the one who had the idea of beating me in the first place. _You _were the one that did it. It was all _you. _Don't call me or text me or do anything. Just, leave me alone." I hung up the phone without hesitation.

All of my energy drained out of me the moment I hung up the phone. I wasn't going to cry; there was no need to. I turned on the sink and started to wash my face. Everything felt clear now. Jake was out of my life, and Jayden was in it. I didn't mind that at all. I turned off the sink and walked upstairs. I walked to Michael's room and opened the door quietly. His room had a light blue wallpaper with airplanes and stars on it. It had toys scattered all over the place and a diaper changing station to my left. His crib was against the right wall and had Michael sleeping soundly inside. I walked up to it and peered inside. He looked like a little angel.

I whispered, "Don't worry. You'll have a daddy soon."

I walked out of there quietly and shut the door. I leaned against it, happy. I was finally happy and content with the way things were going. I walked towards my bedroom, which was right across the hall and walked inside. I laid down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

_8 hours later..._

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock. I turned it off and got up. I looked at it real quick to see the time. 8 am. Great. I didn't have time to change my clothes, so I just grabbed my car keys, my phone from downstairs, and texted Jessica.

_Got to go. Watch over Michael for me. Thnx. Bye._

I walked out of the house and went to my garage, which held my red Mercedes-Benz. I loved this car a little more than my job. I got inside and started it. I could hear that old engine start up. I drove out of the garage and into the rain. As I drove, I remembered the interrogation with Ethan Mars. He said his son had disappeared. I was almost sure his kid got kidnapped by the Origami Killer. But, he seemed to know something. He was too hesitant with his answers to our questions, it was almost obvious he was lying to us. He had something to hide, and I wanted to know what. But, then I thought for a moment. Mars? His last name seemed familiar to me. Then, it hit me. His son had been hit by a car about two years ago, right when the Origami Killer started up. Was it possible? No, it couldn't have been, right? I mean, he jumped in front of the car to save his son, but it didn't matter at the time. His son still died, and he suffered a concussion and a coma. There was no way in his right mind he would do that. I pulled up near the police station and got out of my car. I walked up to the police station and entered the building. I already knew the day was going to be a blur.


End file.
